i learned to say hosanna on my knees
but they threw me out of sunday school when i was nine
“Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
At hearing this, Jesus’ interrogators left him, amazed…
The truth is, we’re tempted to join these pharisees and herodians. We hear these words of Jesus and know something amazing has been said. The problem, though, is we’re not exactly sure what he meant, or how we can give the emperor what belongs to the emperor and give God the things that belong to God. We, too, are tempted to walk away from these words, albeit amazed…
This pithy saying of Jesus sums up the whole tension of living a life of faith. We go about our days while the many and various demands are placed upon us; and we do what we can.
Honestly, though, we can’t do it all.
We try to evaluate. We try to spend our resources on our priorities. In fact, if we’re being honest, most of us really do try to give to God the things that are God’s, and give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s. The problem, though, is there just isn’t enough time or money or love; there just isn’t enough. We’re too busy. The expenses are too many; and so on…
Truth be told, if we’re going to keep being honest, we all know that while we’ve tried to give to God the things that are God’s and the emperor the things that are the emperor’s; we know, deep down, that we’ve failed.
*Something has been given short shrift…
Since we’re all here, yet again; I suppose it goes without saying that it’s God. We’ve tried to give God and the emperor each their due, but when we look at things plainly, we know we haven’t given God what God deserves. Not even close…
That’s the rub of Jesus’ terse reply.
While each of us knows all too well the sound of the wolves howling at the door; we can’t figure out how to balance what belongs to the emperor and what belongs to God. There’s always more demand than what we have…
Is paying our taxes and attending church when we can make it, plus at least something in the offering plate enough? Heaven knows that’s more than what most of the folks we spend our time with give, to God anyway.
Lord knows, though, that our shabby attendance and giving, pale in comparison to all God has given us. In fact, if we look at the state of the Church here in North America, the truth is, what we do give will not be enough to continue the Church for much longer…
Yes, giving to the emperor what belongs to the emperor and to God what belongs to God is one of those sayings; you know the kind, the kind that is easier said than done.
This Christian life is challenging…
Honestly, this enigmatic reply of Jesus is one that faithful Christians have wrestled with throughout the ages. In fact, I don’t suppose we’ll be able to resolve these words in one sermon; and maybe that’s faithful…
I hate to tell you, but as we move to taking a closer look at the Gospel, the tension is only increased, not resolved.
The questions these disciples of the Pharisees, along with the Herodians, pose to Jesus was a popular question at that time, actually. But it wasn’t a popular question because the folks of Jesus’ time chaffed about taxes the way we do.
No, this question was pertinent because, as Jesus makes clear in his object lesson, the coin that was used to pay the tax bore the bust of the emperor and read, essentially, “emperor is God.”
The question wasn’t even about paying taxes per se; the question was whether people of faith could even use a coin that stated a human was God. The argument wasn’t petty like our debates about taxes and all that. The question was faithful; does using such a coin mean the user is unfaithful.
It’s a good question to wrestle with, honestly. It’s a good question because, although we’ve gotten more subtle, that’s the question we always have to navigate ourselves.
Does spending all our money on retirement, mean we believe our savings is God? Does wearing our favorite team’s jersey religiously on game day, mean we believe athletics are God? Does giving our last red-cent to our child, mean we believe family is God? Does placing all our trust in a degree, mean we believe the academy is God?
And you could come up with your own examples, couldn’t you? It wouldn’t be hard.
The truth is, we know that the way we use our time, our money, our affection, our words, all of it; the way we use what we’ve been given, reveals what we really trust.
Yes, being a Christian is hard, but it isn’t hard because we can’t figure out the ratio of God to emperor; it’s hard because we’re not all that faithful…
That’s why I get a little piqued about folks who get so uptight when the church talks about money. Their protests carry about as much weight as the addict who complains about going to AA because all they talk about is alcohol.
Honestly, Jesus spoke more about money than any other topic; and we all know why. Truth be told, I am glad this reading came up during a time that isn’t our stewardship emphasis.
Jesus spoke more about money than any other topic because the lie that’s always been told, day in and day out, is that our money can save us.
In God we trust?
No, in the treasury, we trust. In the economy, we trust. In the dollar almighty, we trust.
Sure, death and taxes may be the only certainties in this life, but if we have to put our money where our mouth is, taxes will be given their due. God on the other hand???
Yet Jesus said, “Give to the emperor the things that belong to the emperor, and to God the things that are God’s.”
While we may not be forced to use coinage the makes the case so blatantly; we all know that while we may have given the emperor their due; we haven’t given God, God’s due. Not even close…
And there’s the cincture to Jesus’ object lesson.
“Whose image and title is on the coin,” Jesus asked. And of course if was the emperor’s.
I like to imagine that while Jesus was still holding the coin, while the answer ‘the emperor,’ hung in the air, Jesus paused and then tossed the coin aside. Only after a few moments replied, “well, give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor,” then, as the coin gathered dust, drove the point home, “and give to God the things that are God’s.”
If you want to discern the proper balance between what belongs to the emperor and what belongs to God, you must look at Jesus’ reply from the perspective of faith.
Look at the coin, whose image is on it? The emperor’s, of course.
So, where’s God’s image?
Where is God’s image? Where?
The language of faith ought to remind us that God has put God’s image upon man and woman.
Why back in Genesis. Way back when God made the heavens and the earth, God made humankind in God’s image. Don’t you get it, can’t you see? You, YOU, bear the image of God.
That’s the thing, it isn’t a balancing act at all. The emperor may demand their coins, but God claims all of you. EVERYTHING belongs to God.
That’s why we can never get the balance right, because trying to section out our lives; this to God, this to the emperor, this to sports almighty, this to retirement, this to family, and on and on, is a losing game, of course - we can’t do it.
Notice anyway that Jesus doesn’t reply to the question the Pharisees and Herodians pose it, either/or. It seems that the problem Jesus has with their inquiry, isn’t so much that it’s a trap, as it is that their question is all wrong!
Our attempts to portion off our lives is always a losing battle. But you who have too little money, and even less time already knew that, didn’t you?
Until God is given everything, we won’t be able to get anything else right.
I’ll grant you, that sentence is easier said than done, too. The truth, though, is, the saying is true.
Those of us who are here when we could be anywhere else, have a sense of that, I trust. Those of us who, truth be told, really do try to give to the emperor the things that belong to the emperor and to God the things that belong to God, have a sense of that.
The problem, though, is that, that is easier said than done. This life of faith is hard, being faithful is hard. How can we ever dare to give everything to God???
Well, here’s what I will leave you with, all of God’s commandments are actually promises - although sinners like us will never trust that. God commands us not to kill, not because God likes telling us what not to do. No, God commands us not to kill, because God doesn’t want you to be killed.
Here’s why Jesus would dare to say something like, “give your entire self to God,” to folks like us, (folks who will do whatever they can to get out of their taxes,) it’s because God wants all of us.
God claims all of you; not because God is greedy, but because God loves you. God wants all of you, believe it or not. God wants to be God for you. God wants to be a God you can trust. God wants you to be claimed, all of you - even those parts you hardly dare to claim yourself.
That’s why Jesus says give to God what has God’s image on it.
As we like to remember, Martin Luther once said that he had held many things in his hands, but had lost it all. What dear old Luther placed in God’s hands, though, that he still possessed.
When Jesus tells us to give everything to God, Jesus is speaking the Word of pure promise. Jesus came to redeem all of you, not just a portion of your life. You don’t have to hide anything from God. God wants it all. Give it to God, God is trustworthy.
You can give everything to God. If you doubt this, just watch the life of this one who said these words today, this God-in-the-flesh, this Jesus, watch as he goes to the cross and gives everything for you.
Amen.
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